Dosing syphon

ABSTRACT

A dosing syphon for hydraulic transport of livestock and poultry wastes is disclosed. The dosing syphon comprises a fluid reservoir having a bell compartment means therein which is spaced from the bottom portion of the fluid reservoir. The bell compartment has a closed upper portion and a lower portion in communication with the interior of the housing for receiving fluid from the interior thereof. A substantiallly vertical conduit having an open upper end is positioned within the bell compartment and extends downwardly and outwardly through the housing. The vertical conduit includes a trap element for capturing a quantity of fluid therein. The vertical conduit has a fluid charging opening formed therein at the upper end therein above the bottom portion of the bell compartment so that a supply of fluid will be available to the trap while the fluid level rises within the bell compartment but before the fluid flows into the upper end of the compartment so that a constant supply of fluid will be available in the trap element.

Hazen 1 DOSING SYPHON Mar. 19, 1974 Primary Etaminer--Alan CohanAssistant Examiner-Gerald A. Michalsky 75 Inventor: Thamon E. HazenAmes, Iow 1 a Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Zarley, McKee & Thomte [731Assignw 1W2.$22.. labstsitzlsss Foundation, Ames, Iowa; T by said Hazen[57] ABS RACT i i V g A dosing syphon for hydraulic transport oflivestock [22] Flled' Sept 1972 and poultry wastes is disclosed. Thedosing syphon [21] Appl. No.: 287,672 comprises a fluid reservoir havinga bell compartment means therein which is spaced from the bottom por- 52us. c1 137/132, 119/72, 137/24725 L i iW F 51 1m. (:1 F04f 10/02uPperpmim a [58] Field of Search 4/1O1 119/77, 137/123 canon w1th themterlor of the housmg for rece1v1ng 137/132 135 137 fluid from theinterior thereof. A substantiallly vertical conduit having an open upperend is positioned within the bell compartment and extends downwardly and1561 3:3313233213533.:2:38:31:'2; UNITED STATES PATENTS fluid therein.The vertical conduit has a fluid charging 1.016.676 2/1912 Dale137/247.25 opening formed therein at the upper end therein 557560 4/1896Hum above the bottom portion of the bell compartment so 210,965 12/1878Rhoads 137/138 X that a pp y of will be available to the p while FOREIGNPATENTS OR APPLICATIONS the fluid level rises within the bellcompartment but 180225 9/1337 France 137 139 before the fluid flows intothe W end P 834.327 12/1927 Australia 137/133 Partmem SO that a constantpp y of fluld W111 be 142.636 4/1883 France 137/139 available in thetrap element. 568.231 3/1924 France 137/132 55.766 4/1891 Germany137/123 6 ClaImS, 2 Drawing g [Marie/ jai/e/ DOSING SYPIION The problemof removing manure from swine and poultry buildings is a troublesomeone. One method for removing manure from swine buildings is the openflushing gutter than runs through the pen area. Hogs learn to defecateand urinate in the gutter. Cleaning water is discharged down the gutterat 100 to l50 gallons per minute which carries the manure from thebuilding to a storage pit or waste treatment device. One of the problemsassociated with the flushing gutter system has been to devise equipmentthat will dependably discharge cleaning water into the gutter.

Therefore, it is a principal object of this invention to provide animproved dosing syphon. v

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved dosingsyphon for discharging clean water into flushing gutters.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a dosing syphonfor hydraulic transport of livestock and poultry wastes.

A further object of this invention is to provide a dosing syphon havingmeans thereon to insure that the trap associated therewith will beproperly charged.

A further object of this invention is to provide a dosing syphon whichautomatically supplies water to a flushing gutter system.

A further object of this invention is to provide a dosing syphon havingthe ability to rapidly discharge water into a flushing gutter system.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved dosingsyphon which is economical of manufacture and durable in use.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

This invention consists in the construction, arrangements, andcombination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objectscontemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth,specifically pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of the dosing syphon; and

FIG. 2 is a sectional view as seen along lines of FIG. 1.

In FIG. 1, the numeral generally refers to a fluid reservoir having abottom 12, top 14 and a side wall portion 16. Fluid reservoir 10 is incommunication with a water pump adapted to pump water thereinto at apredetermined rate.

The numeral 18 refers to an inverted bell compartment having a closedupper portion 20 and an open lower portion 22 which is in communicationwith the interior of the fluid reservoir or housing 10. As seen in FIGS.1 and 2, the lower portion of the bell compartment is spaced above thebottom 12 of the reservoir 10. For purposes of description, bellcompartment 18 will be described as having a skirt portion 24. The bellcompartment 18 is secured to the bottom 12 by means of a plurality ofspaced apart brackets 26. As seen in FIG. 2, the brackets 26 areprovided with an elongated slot 28 therein which permits the bellcompartment 18 to be selectively vertically adjusted with respect to thebottom 12.

The numeral 30 refers to a substantially vertical conduit having an openupper end 32 positioned within the bell compartment 18 and extendingdownwardly therefrom through the bottom 12 of the fluid reservoir 10.Suitable seal means 34 is provided around the conduit 31) and the bottom12 as seen in FIG. 1. The numeral 36 refers to a trap portion formed inthe conduit 30 to capture a quantity of fluid or water therein so thatthe water within the reservoir 10 will not discharge through the conduit30 until a sufficient water level has been reached which is sufficientto overcome the head within the trap 36.

Conduit 30 has a fluid charging opening 38 formed therein at the upperend thereof which is positioned above the bottom portion of the bellcompartment 18 so that a supply of fluid will be available to the trap36 while the fluid level rises within the compartment 18. Conduit 31) isin communication with the flushing gut ter system of the system.

For purposes of description, the numeral 40 refers to the high waterlevel within the reservoir 10 while the numeral 42 will be used toidentify the low water level within the reservoir 10.

Assuming that the dosing syphon has just functioned, the cycle ofoperation will be described with the lower water level beingapproximately at 42. The water pump is actuated so as to supply water tothe reservoir 10 to v fill the same. As the reservoir 10 is filled, thewater in the compartment 18 rises at approximately thesame rate as thewater outside the bell compartment 18. As the water level rises insidethe compartment 18, air is trapped between the water inside of the bellcompartment 18 and the upper end 20 thereof. The trapped air in the bellcompartment prevents the water level inside the bell compartment 18 fromrising as much as the level outside the bell compartment 18. As thereservoir 10 fills, a difference in water level inside and outside thebell compartment 18 develops. This difference in water level or headcompresses the air inside the bell compartment 18. The compressed airwithin the bell compartment 18 prevents the water from flowingdownwardly through the open upper end of the conduit 30 until such timeas the water within the reservoir 10 reaches the high water level 40. Atthe high water level 40, the head within the reservoir 10 is sufficientto overcome the head developed by the water in the trap thus forcingwater out of the trap, and air out of bell compartment 18, so that thefluids within reservoir 10 are then discharged downwardly through theopen upper end of the conduit 30. The water discharges from thereservoir 10 until the water reaches the approximate low level 42. Therapid rate of discharge from the reservoir 10 causes a flushing actionin the flushing gutters of the system so as to hydraulically transportthe animal waste from the gutters.

The dosing syphon will not function if water is not present in the trapportion 36 during the filling operation of the fluid reservoir. Therapid discharge of water from the reservoir 10 tends to pull or suck thewater from the trap and the reservoir 11) will not properly fill duringthe next cycle since the water will simply run downwardly through theconduit 30. The charging opening 38 insures that the trap portion 36will be properly charged so that the dosing syphon will properlyfunction. As the fluid rises under the bell compartment during thefilling operation of the reservoir 10, the liquid or fluid passesthrough the charging or aspiration opening 38 to charge the trap portion36 with fluid. A small amount of fluid will trickle from the trapportion 36 into the flushing gutters but the amount does not constitutea wastage of water due to the size of the charging opening 38. Thus, thecharging opening 38 insures that the trap portion 36 will be properlycharged with water to prevent the fluid in the reservoir fromdischarging therefrom until the high water level 40 is reached.

Some constructional considerations are also worthy of note. The positionof the bottom of the bell compartment 18 determines the lowest level ofthe fluid at the end of the discharge cycle. Preferably, the position ofthe bottom of the bell compartment 18 should be as close to the bottomof the reservoir 10 as possible without restricting flow into the bellcompartment. There is a minimum distance above the discharge end of theconduit 30 and the liquid level in the reservoir 10 with sufficient headis available to insure that full pipe flow is developed. Although suchis difficult to calculate exactly, a rule of thumb is to make thedistance approximately five times as great as the diameter of theconduit 30. The required volume of the bell compartment 18 is related tothe volume of the inlet portion of the conduit 30 and the trap portion36. In general, it is recommended that the volume of the bellcompartment 18 be approximately five or more times the volume of theinlet pipe portion and the trap portion. The position of the upper endof the conduit 30 with respect to the bell compartment 18 is also quiteimportant. lnsufficient intrusion of the conduit 30 into the compartmentwill result in premature discharge and lack of full siphoning.Inadequate clearance between the top of the conduit 30 and thetopportion 20 of the bell compartment 18 will restrict flow into theconduit 30 thereby reducing the rate of discharge.

Thus it can be seen that an improved dosing syphon has been providedhaving means to permit the trap portion of a discharge conduit to beproperly charged prior to the dosing syphon rapidly discharging. Thedosing syphon of this invention substantially reduces dosing syphonmalfunctions and accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.

1 claim:

1. A dosing syphon, comprising,

a fluid reservoir comprised of a housing having bottom and top portions,a bell compartment means in said housing and spaced from said bottomportion, said bell compartment means having a closed upper portion and alower portion in communication with the interior of said housing forreceiving fluid from the interior of said housing,

a substantially vertical conduit extending from an upper open end withinsaid bell compartment means downwardly and outwardly through saidhousing,

a trap element in said conduit to capture a quantity of fluid therein attimes,

and a fluid charging opening formed in said conduit adjacent the openupper end thereof, said fluid charging opening being positioned belowthe upper open end of said conduit and above the bottom portion of saidbell compartment, said fluid charging opening providing directcommunication between the interior of said bell compartment means andthe interior of said conduit so that a supply of fluid will be availableto said trap element while the fluid level rises within said bellcompartment means but before fluid flows into the upper end of saidcompartment, wherein a constant supply of fluid will be available insaid trap element.

2. The dosing syphon of claim 1 wherein said bell compartment comprisesan inverted housing member which is selectively vertically adjustablymounted in said housing with respect to the bottom of said housing.

3. The dosing syphon of claim 1 wherein said conduit comprises avertically disposed inlet portion extending upwardly through said bottomof said housing the open upper end of said inlet portion being spacedbelow the said closed upper end of said bell compartment.

4. The dosing syphon of claim 1 wherein said fluid charging opening isformed in said conduit closely adjacent the upper end thereof.

5. The dosing syphon of claim 1 wherein the lower portion of the bellcompartment is spaced as close to the bottom of the reservoir aspossible without restricting flow into the bell compartment.

6. The dosing syphon of claim 1 wherein the volume of the bellcompartment is at least five times the volume of the vertical conduitand the trap element in said

1. A dosing syphon, comprising, a fluid reservoir comprised of a housing having bottom and top portions, a bell compartment means in said housing and spaced from said bottom portion, said bell compartment means having a closed upper portion and a lower portion in communication with the interior of said housing for receiving fluid from the interior of said housing, a substantially vertical conduit extending from an upper open end within said bell compartment means downwardly and outwardly through said housing, a trap element in said conduit to capture a quantity of fluid therein at times, and a fluid charging opening formed in said conduit adjacent the open upper end thereof, said fluid charging opening being positioned below the upper open end of said conduit and above the bottom portion of said bell compartment, said fluid charging opening providing direct communication between the interior of said bell compartment means and the interior of said conduit so that a supply of fluid will be available to said trap element while the fluid level rises within said bell compartment means but before fluid flows into the upper end of said compartment, wherein a constant supply of fluid will be available in said trap element.
 2. The dosing syphon of claim 1 wherein said bell compartment comprises an inverted housing member which is selectively vertically adjustably mounted in said housing with respect to the bottom of said housing.
 3. The dosing syphon of claim 1 wherein said conduit comprises a verticalLy disposed inlet portion extending upwardly through said bottom of said housing the open upper end of said inlet portion being spaced below the said closed upper end of said bell compartment.
 4. The dosing syphon of claim 1 wherein said fluid charging opening is formed in said conduit closely adjacent the upper end thereof.
 5. The dosing syphon of claim 1 wherein the lower portion of the bell compartment is spaced as close to the bottom of the reservoir as possible without restricting flow into the bell compartment.
 6. The dosing syphon of claim 1 wherein the volume of the bell compartment is at least five times the volume of the vertical conduit and the trap element in said conduit. 